You have to make the ask!

I took a month off to work on our new blog and to focus on my agency's annual Gala which is in two weeks. So excited.


As many of you know, I love social media. I have made many incredible contacts through Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. This past weekend one of my new friends from Twitter was in Denver for the start of his vacation and we had lunch.


I am so excited to have met @zachinmotion He has been an inspiration since I met him on Twitter but now that I have met him face to face I am even more inspired.


And focused.


We had a lot of conversation around fundraising and how to treat donors. I told him that I believe there are many in fundraising who are uncomfortable with asking for money. And when we get money, there are many who just move on to the next ask without doing a big acknowledgement for the gift.


We have to ask for money to get it. And there is NOTHING to fear. First, I believe that a "no" is just the start of the conversation. I have NEVER received a "no, and I mean no, like never, like I will never donate to you, ever" comment when getting a "no". Usually, it's not the right time, not the right campaign, not the right opera (I fundraise for Opera Colorado), or they just paid their children's college bill and want to make a donation yet just can't.


I try to make twenty asks a day. That's 100 in a week. That's a lot. This may seem like impossible. For some groups it might be. Here at Opera Colorado we have amazingly kept donor records so I have a great resource.


If twenty is overwhelming, perhaps you could start with just one a day. Who donated to you last year that you haven't heard from this year?


Regardless of how many calls you decide to make in one week, you can start today! I realize you have that meeting and that luncheon and that report due and that event to plan, etc. Donations to me are our life blood. And if I am not making the ask, I am cutting off my agency's access to new donations.


Go for it! And let me know how it goes!


Thanks for reading!